Pipe cleaner



Aug. 20, 1957 J. H. KOFFSKI PIPECLEANER 1 Filed July 22, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

,g HN H. KOFFSKI AGENT 'Aug. 20, 1957 J. H. KOFFSKI v 2,803,026

7 PIPE CLEANER Filed July 22, -1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

L HN H. "KOFFSKI WKW AGENT United States Patent PIPE CLEANER JohnH.Kolfski, Chisholm, Minn.

Application July 22, 1954, Serial No. 444,997

1 Claim. (Cl. 15104.07)

This invention relates to a device for cleaning pipes such as watermains and the like, especially those which are vertically disposed suchas those which are normally located in mine shafts and the like forpumping water out of the mine.

It is well known that underground mines usually :accumulate =water someof which is surface drainage and some -of which may be from undergroundwater seams and the like. In order to maintain the underground mine in aworking condition, this water must be eliminated and removed from themine. The removal of water from an underground mine is usuallyaccomplished by means of pumps which may be operated as desired by anysuitable power means, the pumps forcing water upwardly through pipeswhich are carried in the mine shaft to the surface of the ground Wheresuitable water mains carry the water to a discharge point remotelylocated relative to the mine shaft.

The vertically disposed water mains above referred to are a source ofannoyance to mine owners and operators in that they require considerablemaintenance because the water mains accumulate a coating of scum and thelike on the Walls of the pipe thereby reducing the diameter and carryingcapacity of the pipe. To date no efiicient means have been provided toremove the accumulation from the inside walls of the vertically disposedwater main in the mine shaft.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of my invention to providea device and means for operating same for cleaning the interior walls ofa substantially vertically disposed water main.

Another object is to provide such a device which is simple andinexpensive to construct. Another object is to provide such a devicewhich is simple to operate.

Another object is to provide such a device which is strong and durableand which will require a minimum of upkeep or maintenance.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become moreapparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my pipe cleaner showing same withina water main.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental broken perspective view showing partsof my pipe cleaner.

Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional view of the device as shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the cleaning instrumentalityin folded position to permit the passing of immovable obstruction in thewater main.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawing the reference numeral 1 indicates a watermain which is usually substantially vertically disposed in a mine shaft,not shown, the inner walls 2 of the water main usually accumulate acoating of scum and the like which reduces the carrying capacity .of theWater main 1 and which scum must be removed in order to restore the pipe'1 to its required capacity and efiiciency.

As means to .clean the scum from the inner walls 2 of the pipe v1 Iprovide .a discor plate member 3 having the same shape as the crosssection of the pipe v1 .and being of just slightly smaller diameter thanthe pipe 1. As shown in the drawings, the disc 3 is of a circular shape.The disc 3 is divided into two halves A and B, and the halves A and Bare pivotally united as by .a hinge 4.

The hinge 4 includes a pair of pintles5-5 extending in axially alinedrelationship from a tubular body member 6, tone of the pins .5 extendingfrom each .side of the body member 6, see Fig. 2, whereby the parts Aand :B are pivotally carried, one on each side of the body member 6. Thedisc .3.-is normally carried in a plate extending at right angles to theaxis of the pipe 1 which it is to clean, Whenrin operating position, andthe body member 6 is carried in substantial alinement with .the axis :ofthe pipe 1. In other words, .the axis of the body member-6 is .at rightangles to the plate of the disc or plate member 3 when in operatingposition.

The plate member 3 is supported by a pair of brackets 77, one carried oneach side of the body member 6 on the lower end thereof and below thepins or pintles 5. The brackets 77 have a fiat upper surface 8-8 onwhich the members A and B rest. The brackets 7 prevent the parts A and Bfrom pivoting beyond a flat or even plane with each other in onedirection.

At the upper end of the body member 6 I have provided a handle or bail 9to Which is secured a cable 10. In operation, the cable 10 serves as ameans to pull the pipe cleaner through the pipe 1. As the cleaner movesthrough the pipe 1, the disc or plate 3 picks up and carries with it thescale or scum'which is carried on the inner surface 2 of the pipe 1 andthereby cleans the pipe. The cable 10 may be pulled by any suitablemeans, such as by a winch or even by hand under suitable conditions.

As the cleaning device is moved through the pipe its normal direction ofmovement being upwardly, of course, if an obstruction should be reachedwhich would prevent passing of the disc 3 through the pipe, the parts Aand B may be pivoted as shown in Fig. 4 towards each other to reduce thediameter of the disc to permit same to clear an obstruction. By rotatingthe disc and body member 6 on the longitudinal axis of the body 6 anyobstruction can be cleared, of course.

The means for accomplishing the folding of the disc or plate member 3comprises a shaft member 12 carried axially of and within the tubularbody member 6. The upper end of the shaft 12 has an eye 14 to which aseparate cable 15 is attached, see Fig. 1, the cable 15 serving toprovide means for operating the shaft 12 independently of the bodymember 6.

The lower end of the shaft 12 has a pair of oppositely disposed hookmembers 1616, one of the hook members being carried under the part orportion A of the disc 3 and the other of the hook members being carriedunder the part or portion B of the disc 3.

As may be seen in Fig. 4, the raising of the shaft 12 by means of thecable 15 will raise the book 16 relative to the body member 6 and causethe parts A and B to pivot on the pintles 5 to the position shown inFig. 4 along the are shown in dotted lines at 17. This arrange ment willpermit the device to clear obstructions which are immovable in the pipe.

When the obstruction has been cleared, the cable 15 may be slackened andthe cable 10 pulled to bring the parts A and B back to normal positionresting on the bracket 7 to continue the cleaning operation of the pipe.

than a limited amount.

A stop 18 is preferably provided on the tube 6 about the shaft 12 tomaintain the latter in assembled relation with the tube 6, as shown, andto permit the shaft 12 to be reciprocated so as to serve as a hammer inthe event the disc should become stuck in the pipe 1. The reciprocationof the shaft 12 will cause the eye-14 and hooks 16 to apply blows to thebody member 6 and thereby jar loose the cleaning device if it doesbecome stuck, for

the shaft 12 is captive in the sleeve due to the stop 18 I and the fork16 preventing its being reciprocated more The slots 0 limit thereciprocation in one direction for the forks 16 engage the inner endsthereof, and in the other direction, the stop 18 stops the eye 14 fromentering the sleeve.

The slots 0 serve to permit the forks to engage and pivot the halves ofthe disc as the shaft 12 is lifted and 'to limit the upward movement ofthe shaft.

With the device, as above described, vertically disposed water mains canbe quickly and efliciently cleaned and restored to normal efliciency.Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

- A device for cleaning pipes and the like comprising: a

--2,sos,o26 v p 4 her with the halves thereof each hinged on saidpintles, bracket means on said body member below said disc formaintaining said halves in alined relationship with each other and innormal relationship to said body member,

and means attached to said body member above said disc for drawing thebody member and disc through a pipe With said disc extending atsubstantially right angles to the axis of the pipe, and means forpivoting said halves on their pintles away from said bracket meansincluding a shaft freely reciprocably carried within said body member,means on said body limiting the extent of reciprocation of said shaftand affording reciprocable captive hammer action by the latter shouldthe body member and disc become stuck, means attached to the upper endof said shaft for reciprocating the same, and hook means extending fromthe lower end of said shaft and engageable with each of said halves topivot the latter when said shaft is lifted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS PeekJan; 8, 1901 2,328,060 Crane et a1; Aug. 31, 1943 2,328,093 Osborn et a1Aug. 31, 1943 2,608,695

Skibowski Sept. 2, 1952

